This invention relates to gear systems and more particularly to gear systems wherein anti-lash mechanisms are employed.
In prior art lash prevention gearing, it is known to have an anti-lash gear member held in frictional contact with a driven working gear member. The anti-lash gear generally has at least one tooth more than the driven working gear. This assures that contact will be made between the teeth of the driving working gear and the anti-lash gear prior to meshing with the driven working gear. This eliminates gear rattle under low speed no load conditions such as "neutral idle" in a power transmission.
The frictional contact permits relative motion between the anti-lash gear and the driven working gear while the driving gear remains subject to rotary resistance. These devices have been found useful in countershaft type constant mesh transmissions. These prior art devices exhibit two disadvantages. The friction contact between the gears is unreduced throughout the speed range of the system and a separate spring member is used to establish the frictional connection. The anti-lash mechanisms are generally useful only at low vehicle speeds and the separate spring member adds complexity.